The Tanzanian giants will be seeking to erase the 2-0 defeat suffered from the first leg final played at Berkane Municipal Stadium on Saturday, May 17th. The Msimbazi Reds collapsed in the opening 20 minutes to allow the Moroccan giants to take a commanding step towards a third continental crown.
Backed by a raucous home crowd, Berkane made their intentions clear from the onset, applying early pressure that yielded results within the first 10 minutes. A pinpoint corner from Hamza El Moussaoui with only eight minutes found Mamadou Camara, who rose highest to head home from close range and give the home side a dream start.
Just six minutes later, Oussama Lamlaoui doubled Berkane’s lead with a well-taken finish after latching onto an incisive pass from Imad Riahi. Simba created chances of their own to reduce the deficit, with Leonel Ateba and Elie Mpanzu both going close, but were repeatedly denied by a resolute Berkane defense and timely interventions by goalkeeper Hamza Hamiani.
When is Simba vs Berkane and how can you watch?
The return leg final will be played on Sunday, May 25th, at Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar at 16:00 local time and will be live across all CAF’s broadcast partners, including Azam Media, beIN Sport, Canal+, SuperSport, SABC and several other global platforms.
Earlier on, the fixture had been planned for the 60,000-seater Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, but the Confederation of African Football requested to have it played at Amaan since Mkapa is still undergoing renovation.
Mkapa is among the venues earmarked to host the 2024 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) tournament in August and the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.
According to CAF, the winners of this year’s Confederation Cup will be awarded a new trophy that will be unveiled later this week.
Simba vs Berkane head-to-head
In the history of the competition, Simba and Berkane have faced off three times, with the Moroccan side enjoying two wins, and Simba managing one win.
The first-ever meeting was in the same competition when Berkane downed Simba 2-0 at Stade Municipal de Berkane in 2022. Adama Ba scored the opener for Berkane in the 32nd minute before Cherki El Bahri scored the second in the 41st minute.
The return leg was held at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium with Simba securing a 1-0 win courtesy of Pape Ousmane Sakho's goal after being set up by Meddie Kagere in the 44th minute. The third meeting was the first leg of the current fixture, which Simba lost 2-0.
Simba’s road to the final has been impressive, with the Tanzanian club taking out some of the continent’s most dangerous sides and they are now one match away from continental glory. In the semis, Simba came up against Stellenbosch FC of South Africa beating them 1-0 in the first leg after Ivorian defender Jean Ahoua had stepped up to deliver a beautifully struck free-kick just before the half-time break.
The return leg in Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium saw Stellenbosch throw everything at Simba, but Fadlu Davids’ men stayed compact and weathered the storm to secure a 0-0 draw and a hard-fought 1-0 aggregate win to reach their first-ever final.
For Berkane, they lifted the Confederation Cup trophy in 2020 and 2022, and they are taking part in their fourth final in six years. Their run to this year’s final has been defined by ruthless efficiency and an unwavering sense of purpose.
They came up against CS Constantine of Algeria in the semis, winning the first leg at Berkane Municipal Stadium 4-0. Youssef Mehri opened the scoring inside the opening minute, Paul Bassène added the second, and Oussama Lamlaoui netted twice to put the tie out of sight for the Algerians.
During the return leg, Constantine could only manage a 1-0 win via Abdennour Belhocini’s effort but it was not enough as Berkane stormed the final on a 4-1 aggregate scoreline. In the quarter-finals, Berkane, under coach Moine Chaabani, had eased past Ivorian giants ASEC Mimosas 2-0 on aggregate. They had won the first leg 1-0 away in Abidjan and registered a similar scoreline in the return leg at home.
Simba confident of overturning first-leg defeat
The atmosphere in Zanzibar is expected to be electric as the Msimbazi Reds will be aiming to overturn the deficit and claim continental glory, while Berkane will look to protect their 2-0 lead and lift the trophy away from home.
However, Simba coach Fadlu Davids is adamant that his players will weather the storm and silence Berkane on home soil. “We only lost 2-0, I could be worried if the outcome was more than three goals, 2-0 is very reversible, we will do everything to overturn the result,” said the South African coach after the first-leg defeat.
His sentiments were echoed by Simba defender Shomari Kapombe, who said: “We are all aware that we are trailing after the first-leg defeat. Being down by two goals means we have a significant challenge ahead. It won't be easy; erasing that deficit is tough.
“Our first aim will be to score those two goals as quickly as possible, then we’ll push for the winner. What gives us hope is that we’re playing at home, and that gives us a slight edge. We want the best possible preparation for the return leg.”
Kapombe added: “We saw the support Berkane had at home. That kind of energy from our fans will motivate us to fight harder. I urge all fans to show up in large numbers.”
The overall winners of the Confederation Cup final will be awarded USD 2 million, while the runners-up will receive USD 1 million.
